Timing device



p 1942. s. G. GRUETTNER 2,295,993

TIMING DEVICE Filed July 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fer ied S t- 912 s PATENT F e TIMING nnvica I f Gruettner, New York, N. Y., assignor l to C. Tuttle, New York, N. Y. I

" I application July 10, 1941, Serial No. 1.809

.16 claims. (Cl. 16l- -1) The present invention' relates to timing devices or the type which isintendge'd,to' a' ctuate one. or more mechanisms or to produce an alarm orother signal' atj'theend of a predetermined and adjustable period of tirnegsubs'equent to setting the timer into ope t On, Such a device is useful.-

for example, "for 'egg-cooking'devic'e's of the type described in the U. S. Patent No. 2,253,154.

- An object of the p resent invention is to provide an' automatidtirning' device incorporated in a cooking machine for the purpose of ensuring the cooking qr eggs fora predetermined length.

A further obiectof the present invention is to provide a timing'device' of'the' character set forth which is simplein operation and easyjtohandle.

Still 8) runner object "is to'constructthe main cured to this shaft, ad'riven gear, a coupling member carrying thdriven gear and being tiltablebetweeninoperative position with the driven gear out of mesh withthe driving ear and ppin a satisfactory constructional example of a device embodying the principles of thepresent'invention has been selected for the purpose lustrationand wherein:

Fig. 1 is a cross-section of showninFig.2 along line |--.I;-. I

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectionofthe timing deviceshownin Fig. 1 along line 2:4;

eratlve position with'thjdrivengear in meshwith.

the driving gear, means" for turning and thereby adjusting the angular positionofthe driven gear whenthecoupling member carrying said gear is in inoperative position, hand-operatedmeans for tilting said coupling member into'operative position, and means for automatically tilting the timing knobs IS in thefront wallof the cookingdeviceare connected byshaft-like rodsli'to the timing device arranged .within'housin'g I0. This 1 coupling member after a predetermined time interva'lback'into'inoperativeposition.'

In accordance with a'preferred embodiment of l the present invention, this"timing, device includes;

an electric switchfonclo'smz, the ci u of electric motor rotatin said driving shaft; this switch' is built andpositionedin such a manner as to be closed by'a turnableoperating member. when the-same is turned into'operative position and to stay closed as long as'the operating member remains in this position.

The abovefand other objects of the invention will appear more iifully from; the following 'de tailed description"and by reference to the accoinpanying drawings forming a part hereof where- 5 Fig. 3 is an expanded perspective'view of, the

main elements of the timinghdeviee shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and i Fig. 4 is a front viewof an egg-cooking device embodying the new timing device,. seen in direction of arrow 4 ofFig. 1.-

Referring to..the drawings, by characters of reference, thetiming device includes a. housing l0 built together with and forming part of the i The entire timingdevice is arranged within housing 10 and only the knobs egg-cooking device ,I I.

operating the timing device are on the front face ll ,of the cooking device ll. The timing device shown in the drawings is. constructed for a multiple egg-cooking device adapted to cook'two ar- I ticles consecutively or simultaneously. For this purpose, carriers; not shown. in the drawings,-

are arranged .on the upper face iii of the cook- Since these carriers for the aring device H. ticles to be cooked and the means for operating the same are not part, of the present-invention,

they will not be. described in detail. Itshould be explained only that the articles, e. g. eggs; are carried by stationary carriers arranged on the upper face of the cookingdevi'ce.

Rotatable covers it are arranged for. each carrier separately in orderto admit or to shut ofl thejcooking steam generated within the hous- Y ing of the cooking device ll. The-knobs 51 serve for opening and closing the covers l4. The

timing device regulates the duration of the con- 5 ,nectionbetween the electric circuit and the electrical resistance wire producing the cooking steam; this-device. furthermore, automatically opens the covers after :a predetermined cooking period, as willbe. described below in detail. I The timing device itself consists of a syn chronous motor l' adapted .to drivegearlfcarried by shaft l9. which latter is and driven by motor l1.

This driving gear I I is adapted to drive both timing devices shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Inorder to simplify the following description, only one of these timing devices will be described in detail.

the timing. device connected with Themainelementsoieachoithetimingde lngimwhenleveruisreversedandassembledin vicesareshowninl'lg.3.'lheyconsistofthe timingdevieeontheoppositesideofthe driving gear I! secured to shaft it, a driven driving gear il, itisalso ngaged bythe releasgear 2|, a coupling member 2i carrying the driving disk 2!. This permits the use of identical en sear 2| and being t l l between inoperi\- s parts-fortwotimingdevices symmetrically assemtive position with the driven gear 22 out of mesh bled in the same machine, driven by the same with driving sear II. and operative position with driving gear and motor the driven gear 20 in mesh with driving gear.

ll; the timing device furthermore comprises means for turning and thereby adjusting the angular position of the driven gear 2| when the coupling member 2i carrying this gear is in inoperative position: also. hand-operated means are arranged for tilting the coupling member 2! into operative position and means for automatically tilting said member after a predetermined time interval back into inoperative position. It is also necessary to provide means for holding the coupling member 2i in operative position when it has been turned into this position by the hand-operated means, mentioned above.

As shown in the drawings, especially in Figs. 1 and 3, the hand-operated means for tilting the coupling member 2i into operative position comprise an operating member 22 consisting of a h shaft 23 secured to cover I4, and plate 24 screwed to shaft 22; a part of this plate is bent, forming thereby two contact pieces 28 and 20. The second spring member I. is wound about shaft 23 and is secured at its one end to the shaft, and at its other end to housing II; this spring tends to turn the operating member 28 in direction of arrow 2 I.

As stated above, itis also necessary to provide means for holding the coupling member 2i in operative position when it has been turned by the operating member 22 into this position. These means mainly consist of a turnable holding member having the shape of the doublearmed lever 32. This double-armed lever i pivoted to the housing by means of pivot 83. It consists of two lever arms it and II. Lever arm 24 is provided with catch-like means ll adapted to engage the contact piece 2! of the operatin member 22 when the same is turned against action of spring ll in direction of arrow It. Turning of the operating member 22 in direction of arrow 56 is attained by closing of the corresponding cover I 8 by means of knob 81. Lever arm II is provided with the projection 21, the func tion of which will be described below in detail. Furthermore, a third spring member 42 is secured to the lever 22; this spring l2 tends to turn lever arm 32 into engagement with the operating member 22 when the same is in operative position.

The means for automatically tilting the coupling-member after a predetermined time interval back into inoperative position consist of a first spring member ll tending to tilt the coupling member back into inoperative position, and means releasing the above mentioned lever 22. These releasing means comprise a timing gear 22 being in mesh with the driven gear and a releasing disk 39 carrying the releasing pin 40. This releasing pin is arranged in such a manner as to strike against projection 21 when the double-armed holding lever 22 is in operative position engaging the operating member 22. This projection 21 provides a means for gradually moving the double-armed holding lever 32 out of engagement with the operating member 22. It further will be noted that the shape of this projection 31 is symmetrical, i. e., it is identical, whether approached from top or bottom. Accordgether by spring it, enables It must be noted that the coupling member 2|, the,tiltinggear 22, and the releasing disk Slareallarrangedonandsupportedbythe oolnmonshaft ilzthuathegearsflandllare constantly in mesh,

device.

coupling member 2i carrying gear 2| is made of one piece but consists of two levers and I4, both rotatably carried byshaft ll.

le'verllisprovidedwithashaftbuttllcarrying l1 and II are arranged on the levers II and II, respectively; these lugs by a spiral spring member ll tend- 2l is mposed of two levers 42 and 44 held toresilient engagement betweenthegearsfland ilwhenthecoupllng membeeearrying earflistiltedbymeansoi operating member 22 in direction of arrow II.

The above described timing device is operating as follows:

In inoperative position the timing mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 2 on the right. For adjusting the time during which the covers I are closed and the water heating means are operated, the timing knob is turned. By turning this knob, the position or the releasing pin ll is adjusted. After this adjustment the operating lever is turned in direction of arrow It engaging thereby the catch It on the double-armed lever 32.

This turning movement of the operating lever has the following three eifects: First, the doublearmed lever 22 is turned from its position shown on Fig. 2 on the right into the position shown on the same i ure on the left, i. e. into a position in which releasing pin 40 is adapted to strike against projection 21; second, the contact piece 28 of the operating lever 22 strikes against the projecting part 40 of the combined coupling member 2i tilting thereby this member and forcing the driven gear 20 into mesh with the driving gear ll; third, by tilting of the coupling member 2i the projecting part ll of this member strikes against the switch member 54 closing thereby the circuit for the electric motor II.

By closing of the motor circuit, rotation of shaft I9 and the driving gear ll carried by this shaft, is started. The'driving gear I! rotates the driven gear 20 which latter rotates the timing gear 33. The timing gear 33 transmits its rotating movement by means of shaft i6 unto the releasing disk 39, whereby the releasing pin 40 is also rotated. Depending upon its initial position, adjusted by means of the timing knob ii, the releasing pin 40 strikes after a predetermined time against projection 31, turning thereby the double-armed lever 32 in direction of arrow 55. By this turning movement of lever 32, the contact piece 25 of operating member 22 disengages the catch 36 on lever arm 34 of lever 32, and the operating member 22 returns by action of spring 23 into its inoperative position shown on Fig. 2, on the right, opening thereby simultaneously cover i6.

This turning movement of the operating member 22 has the following three effects: First, the double-armed lever 32 returns by action of spring 42 into its initial, inoperative position out of engagement with releasing pin "I; second, the coupling member 2i is tilted by action of spring 4! in direction of arrow 5i, into its initial, inoperative position with the driven gear out of mesh with the driving gear i8; third, by tilting of the projecting part 48 of the coupling member 2i in direction of arrow 5|, this projecting part ceases to press against the switch 54, thereby enabling this switch to open the circuit of motor l1, stopping the rotation of the motor and the driving gear operated by the same.

After removing the cooked articles, the cooking device and the timing. mechanism is again ready for use.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may

erating member from operative tilting position into inoperative position out of engagement with said coupling member, means holding said coupling member in operative position in engagement with said operating member when tilted by said operating member into this operative position, and means for automatically disengaging also find a useful application in other types of cooking devices difi'ering from the types described above.

While the invention is illustrated and described as embodied in timing devices, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to .be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A timing device comprising a main driving shaft, a driving gear secured to said shaft, a driven gear, a coupling member carrying said driven gear and being tiltable between inoperative position with said driven gear out of mesh with said driving gear and operative position with said driven gear in mesh with said driving gear, means for turning and thereby adjusting the angular position of the driven gear when the coupling member carrying said gear is in inoperative position, a turnable operating member for tilting said coupling member into operative position, spring-like means tending to turn said opafter a predetermined time interval said operating member from said coupling member, whereby said spring-like means are turning said operating member into inoperative position out" of engagement with said coupling member and this member is tilted into inoperative position with the driven gear out of mesh with the driving'gear.

2. A timing device comprising a main driving shaft, a driving gear secured to said shaft, a driven gear, a coupling member carrying said driven gear and being tiltable between inoperative position with said driven gear out of mesh with said driving gear and operative position with said driven gear in mesh with the driving gear, a first spring member tending to turn said coupling member into inoperative position, means for turning and thereby adjusting the angular position of the driven gear while the coupling member carrying said gear is in inoperative position, a turnable operating member for tilting said coupling member into operative position, a second spring member tending to turn said operating member from operative tilting position into inoperative position out of engagement with said coupling member, means holding said coupling member in operative position in engagement with said operating member when tilted by said operating member into this operative position, and means for automatically disengaging after a predetermined time interval said operating member from said coupling member, enabling said second spring member to turn said operating member into inoperative position out of engagement with said coupling member and said first spring member to tilt said coupling member into inoperative position with the driven gear out of mesh with said driving gear.

3. A timing device comprising a main driving shaft, 9. driving gear secured to said shaft, a driven gear, a coupling member carrying said driven gear and being tiltable between inoperative position with said driven gear out of mesh with said driving gear and operative position with said driven gear in mesh with the driving gear, a first sprng member tending to tilt said coupling member into inoperative position, a turnable operating member for tilting said coupling member into operative position, a second spring member tending to turn said operating member from operative tilting position into inoperative position out of engagement with said tiltable member,

means holding said coupling member against the action of both spring members in operative position in engagement with said operating member when manually tilted by means of said operating member into this operative position, and a releasing mechanism operated by said driven gear, said releasing mechanism adapted to release said holding means and thus to disengage said operating and said coupling members after a time interval determined by the angular position of said driven gear, thereby enabling said operating member to turn by action of said second spring member into inoperative position out of engagement with said coupling member and enabling this member to tilt by action of said first spring member into inoperative position with the driven gear out of mesh with said driving gear.

4. A timing device comprising a main driving shaft, a driving gear secured to said shait, a driven gear, a coupling member carrying said driven gear and being tiltable between inoperative position with said driven gear out of mesh with said driving gear and operative position with said driven gear in mesh with the driving gear, a first spring member tending to tilt said coupling member into inoperative position, a turnable operating member for tilting said coupling member into operative position, a second spring member tending to turn said operating member from operative tilting position into,inoperative position out of engagement with said tiltable member, means holding said coupling member against the action of both spring members in operative position in engagement with said operating memberwhen manually tilted by means of said operating member into this operative position, and a releasing mechanism comprising a timing gear being in mesh with said driven gear, said timing gear arranged rotatably about the axis of turning of said coupling member being thereby also during tilting of said member in mesh with the driven gear carried by the same, hand-operated means for turning and thereby adjusting the angular position of the timing gear when the coupling member carrying the driven gear is in inoperative position, and releasing means operated by said timing gear, said releasing means adapted to release said holding means and thus to disengage said operating and coupling members after a time interval predetermined by the angular position of the timing gear, thereby enabling said first and said second spring to turn both said operating mem ber and said coupling member into inoperative position in which the driven gear is out of mesh with the driving gear.

5. In a timing device of the type claimed in claim, 4, said holding and said releasing means comprising a holding lever adapted to hold said operating member in operative position when the same is turned manually into this position, and a releasing member rotated by said timing gear in such a manner that after a time interval determined by the angular position of the timing gear and said releasing member this releasing member strikes against said holding member, thereby releasing said operating member which is turning by action of said second spring member into inoperative position out of engagement with said holding lever and with said coupling member, enabling said coupling member to turn by action of said first spring member into inoperative position in which the driven gear is out of mesh with the driving gear.

6. In a timing device of the type claimed in claim 4, said holding and said releasing means comprising a double-armed holding lever, one lever arm of which cooperates with said operating member and is adapted to hold said operating member in operative position when the same is turned manually into this position, and a releasing member rotated by said timing gear in such a manner that after a time interval predetermined by the angular position of said timing gear and said releasing member this releasing member strikes against the second lever arm of said double-armed holding lever, releasing thereby said operating member which on its part is turning by action of said second spring member out of engagement with the first lever arm of said double-armed holding lever and with said coupling member, enabling said coupling member to turn by action of said first spring member into inoperative position in which the driven gear is out of mesh with the driving gear.

7. In a timing device of the type claimed in claim 4, said holding and said releasing means comprising a double-armed holding lever, one lever arm of which cooperates with said operating member and is adapted to hold said operating member in operative position when the same is turned manually into this position, and a releasing member provided with a releasing pin rotated by said timing gear in such a manner that after a time interval predetermined by the angular position of said timing gear and said releasing member the releasing pin secured to said releasing member strikes against the second lever arm of said double-armed holding lever, releasing thereby said operating member which on its part is turning by action or said second spring member out of engagement with the first lever arm oi said double-armed holding lever and with said coupling member, enabling said coupling member to turn by action of said first spring member into inoperative position in which the driven gear is out of mesh with the driving gear.

8. In a timing device of the type claimed in claim 4, said holding and said releasing means comprising a double-armed holding lever, one lever arm of which cooperates with said operating member and is adapted to hold said operat ing member in operative position when the same is turned manually into this position, and a releasing disk, a common shaft carrying said releasing disk and said timing gear, a releasing pin secured to said releasing disk, said releasing disk rotated by said common shaft in such a manner that alter a time interval predetermined by the angular position of said shaft said releasing pin strikes against the second lever arm of said double-armed holdin lever, releasing thereby said operating member which on its part is turning by action of said second spring member out of engagement with the first lever arm of said double-armed holding lever and with said coupling member, enabling said coupling member to turn by action of said first spring member into inoperative position in which the driven gear is out of mesh with the driving gear.

9. In a timing device of the type claimed in claim 4, said holding and said releasing means comprising a double-armed holding lever, one lever arm of which cooperates with said operating member and is adapted to hold said operating member in operative position when the same is turned manually into this position, a third spring member tending to turn said doublearmed lever into engagement with said operating member when the same is in operative position, and a releasing member adapted to operate the second lever arm of said double-armed holding lever, said releasing member rotated by said timing gear in such a manner that. after a time interval predetermined by the angular position of said timing gear and said releasing member, this releasing member strikes against the second lever arm of said double-armed holding lever, turning thereby the first lever arm of said double-armed lever against the action of said third spring member out of engagement with said operating member which thus released is turning by action of said second spring member out of engagement with the first lever arm of said double-armed holding lever and said coupling member, enabling thereby said coupling member to tilt by action of said first spring member into inoperative position in which the driven gear is out of mesh with the driving gear.

10. In combination with the timing device claimed in claim 3, an electrical switch for closing the circuit of an electric motor rotating said driving shaft, said switch being built and positioned in such a manner as to be closed by said tumable operating member when the same is turned into operative position, and to stay closed as long as the operating member remains in this position.

11. In a timing device of the type claimed in claim 4, said holding and said releasing means comprising a double-armed holding lever, one lever arm of which is provided with catch-like means cooperating with said operating member and adapted to hold this member in operative position when the same is turned manually into this position, and a releasing member rotated by said timing gear in such a manner that after a time interval predetermined by the angular position of said timing gear and said releasing member this releasing member strikes against the second lever arm of said double-armed holding lever, releasing thereby said operating member which on its part is turning by action of said second spring member out of engagement with said coupling member and with the catch-like means on the first lever arm of said holding lever, enabling said coupling member to turn by action of said first spring member into inoperative position in which the driven gear is out of mesh with the driving gear.

12. In a timing device of the type claimed in claim 4, said holding and said releasing means comprising a holding lever having two lever arms, the firstlever armcooperating with said operating member and adapted to hold said operating member in operative position when the same is turned manually into this position, and the second lever arm being provided with a projection, and a releasing member rotated by said timing gear in such a manner that after a time interval predetermined by the angular position of the timing gear and the releasing member this releasing member strikes against the projection on the second lever arm of said double-armed holding lever, releasing thereby said operating member which on its part is turning by action of said first spring member out of engagement with the first lever arm of said double-armed holding lever and with said coupling member, enabling said coupling member to turn by action of said first spring member into inoperative position in which the driven gear is out of mesh with the driving gear.

13. In a timing device of the type claimed in claim 1, said coupling member comprising two superimposed plate-shaped levers, one of said levers provided with a shaft butt carrying said driven gear and the other with a projection cooperating with said operating member, a spring member connecting both levers, and a common shaft to which are pivoted both levers.

14. A timing device comprising a main driving shaft, a driving gear secured to said shaft, a driven gear, a coupling member carrying said driven gear and being movable between inoperative position with said driven gear out of mesh with said driving gear and operative position with said driven gear in mesh with said driving gear and being urged toward said inoperative position, means for moving and thereby adjusting the angular position of the driven gear when the coupling member carrying said gear is in inoperative position, a hand-operated mechanism adapted to engage said coupling member and move the same from said inoperative into said operative position and to hold it in this operative position during the timing operation, and a releasing member for automatically moving said coupling member out of engagement with said mechanism after ending of said timing operation.

15. A timing device comprising a main driving shaft, a driving gear secured to said shaft, a driven gear, a coupling member carrying said driven gear, said coupling member being movable between inoperative position with said driven gear out of mesh with said driving gear and operative position with said driven gear in mesh with said driving gear and being urged toward said inoperative position, means for turning said driven gear from initial position into( timing position, while said coupling member carrying said gear is in said inoperative position, a hand-operated mechanism adapted to engage said coupling member and to turn thesame into operative position with said driving gear and said driven gear in mesh and to hold it during the timing operation in this position, and a releasing member for automatically moving said coupling member out of engagement with said mechanism and back into said inoperative position with said driving gear and said driven gear out of mesh, when said driven gear has been rotated by said driving gear from said timing into said initial position.

16. A timing device comprising a main driving shaft, a driving gear secured to said shaft, a timing gear, a driven gear adapted to be moved between inoperative position not coupling the driving gear with the driven gear and operative position coupling said gears and transmitting motion impulses from said driving gear to said timing gear, hand-operated means for turning and thereby adjusting the anguiar position of said timing gear when said driven gear is in said inoperative position, a hand-operated mechanism adapted to move said driven gear from said inoperative into said operative position and to hold the same in this operative position, and a releasing member associated with said timing gear for automatically moving said driven gear from said operative into said inoperative position after a time interval predetermined by the angular position of said timing gear.

GERHARD G. GRUE'I'I'NER. 

